Warriors: The Prophecy
by Amberleaf le Haunt
Summary: “There are hard times coming. There will be four, born by the youngest queen in SunClan, whom of which must be split up at birth or else the Clans will be killed and the warrior code will rule the forest never again.” Rated, better than summary! :
1. Outline

_**Hey!**_** It's me, Amberleaf, come to write a new story on here! THIS one, in particular, I wrote when I was JUST starting to write about Warriors. Therefore, it's crummy (lol), but I just can't bear to get rid of it! :o So, I will be continuing it on here -- I have currently written up to Chapter 5 or 6, I believe....**

**Anyways, for your own good, ENJOY!!! :)**

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Warriors – The Prophecy

This is a story about four Warrior Clans. SunClan, MoonClan, RainClan and CloudClan. All are named after elements of the sky, and so that is why their warrior ancestors are called SkyClan. This is a story built on the original idea of Erin Hunter – cats who live in the wild, but I am using my own ideas to create this. I dedicate this to the Erin Hunter Team, the women who write the books and know the Clans as if they were in them.

SunClan likes to hunt and be outside during the day; their camp is in a sunny but sheltered ravine. SunClan cats are good-natured and playful. Not much can dampen their always sunny personalities, or their good moods. Descendants of LionClan and ThunderClan, they are the kindest cats in the forest. This is Sandkit's Clan.

MoonClan hunt by night, when the moon is out and shining bright. These cats can be suspicious and may seem dark-hearted, but will be friendly when they want to. They live in a copse of trees, which is always dark, and it has tree stumps and bushes around the edges. Lichen covers the entrance. Descendants of TigerClan and ShadowClan, they are definitely the most cunning of cats. Still though, it is an awesome camp. This is Gingerkit's Clan.

RainClan prefers to hunt in wet and rainy areas. Their territory is mainly on an island, although their camp is under a large pine tree whose branches only grow halfway up the trunk, and they slope downward, creating a shelter for the cats' camp. The tree is surrounded by reeds and ferns. Descendants of LeopardClan and RiverClan, they enjoy swimming, water, and getting wet. This is Mousekit's Clan.

CloudClan hunts on the moorland. They eat moorland creatures (such as rabbits, and sometimes flying birds), and they are the fastest cats in the forest. CloudClan's camp is half under a large pine tree, where ferns grow up from the edges; the other half is just a shallow dip in the ground, with some rocks and grasses around the edges of the dip. This is where the warriors sleep. You would need to be very good at scenting to know that cats live in this wonderfully useful camp. Descendants of LeopardClan and WindClan, these cats are the fastest. This is Runningkit's Clan.

The cats centered in this story are Sandkit, Runningkit, Gingerkit and Mousekit, they are kits at the moment, and they are siblings. However, because of a prophecy, they were split up and forced to live without each other, in different Clans.

THIS IS THEIR STORY!


	2. Allegiances

**I had about ten pages of Allegiances on my computer, so this is very long! :) You don't have to read it if you don't want to; the names ARE crummy (Pulltail and Warmwind - UGH!XD) but, as I said before, I can't bear to change them. You might experience minor confusion, however, if you don't read it. I suggest you do! SunClan's, at least. They're the biggest Clan, and they have LOTS of kits. Even I get mixed up sometimes! :D Anyways, ENJOY!!!**

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_ALLEGIANCES_

_SunClan – Allegiances_

Leader: _Redstar _– bright ginger tortoiseshell tom, with green eyes

Deputy: _Pinkcloud_ – reddish and white she-cat, where the colours meet they are pink, blue eyes

Medicine cat: _Amberleaf_ – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, sister to Whiteflower

APPRENTICE, Windtail

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

_Whitewind_ – pure white she-cat with watery green eyes

APPRENTICE, Rosepaw

_Breezeclaw_ – total black tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICE,Grasspaw

_Redwing _– tortoiseshell tom with tufts of fur along his back that look like wings, green eyes

APPRENTICE, Petalpaw

_Flowertail _–tortoiseshell she-cat with a tortoiseshell tail that has a white tip at the end, amber eyes

APPRENTICE, Fourpaw

_Thunderstripe_– yellow tabby tom with big yellow eyes

APPRENTICE, Lightningpaw

_Brambletail_– black tom with big orange eyes, one white paw

_Warmwind_– pretty brown she-cat with amber eyes

_Fernpelt_– gray she-cat with black spots and green eyes

_Gray-eyes_– pretty silvery-blue she-cat with gray eyes

_APPRENTICE, _Pricklepaw

_Floodtail_– gray she-cat with blue eyes, sister to Sedgewood

_Sedgewood_– gray tom with blue eyes, brother to Floodtail

APPRENTICE, Beetlepaw

_Stonefur _– fluffy gray tom with blue eyes, son of Cindernose in another Clan

_Flamepool _– bright ginger tom with green eyes

APPRENTICE, Stormpaw

Apprentices (older than six moons, in training to become warriors):

_Rosepaw _– tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

_Fourpaw _– grey tabby tom with amber eyes

_Lightningpaw _– light yellow tom with amber eyes

_Grasspaw _– mottled grey and black tom with blue eyes

_Pricklepaw _– brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_Beetlepaw _– red and brown tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with green eyes

_Petalpaw _– red and white she-cat with blue eyes

_Stormpaw _– all white she-cat with one amber-yellow paw, amber eyes

_Windtail_ – blue-grey she-cat with amber eyes

Queens and kits (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

_Whiteflower _– pretty white she-cat with pale green eyes, mother of Sandkit (pale brown tabby she-kit with green eyes) and mate to Stonefur, also mother of Gingerkit (white and ginger tabby she-kit with amber eyes)(MoonClan), Runningkit (black and white tom, blue eyes)(CloudClan) and Mousekit (pale brown tabby she-kit with green eyes)(RainClan)

_Dawnwing _– pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Foxkit (reddish tabby tom with blue eyes) and Palekit (pale grey she-kit with green eyes)

_Greenfrost _– pretty white she-cat with green eyes, mother to Hedgekit (golden tom with amber eyes), Swallowkit (gray she-kit with blue eyes), Snowkit (white she-kit with turquoise eyes) and Bluekit (blue-grey she-kit with ice blue eyes)

_Leopardspots _– unusually spotted golden-brown tortoiseshell, white tail-tip, green eyes, expecting kits

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

_Poppyfur _– tortoiseshell-and-tabby she-cat with amber eyes

_Mousetail _– gray and white tom with blue eyes, has big, round, mouse-like ears

_Graytail _– light gray she-cat with darker flecks, dark blue eyes and a muzzle that is white with age

_Hawktalon _– white tom with a brown-to-black belly, and brown-to-black paws, amber eyes

_Eagleclaw _– gray tom with amber eyes, and has a yellowish muzzle, like a beak

_Lightnose _– pretty white she-cat with blue eyes, with light pink nose, retired early because of deafness

_Wingpelt _– white she-cat with amber eyes, sister to Lightnose, helps her around the camp

_MoonClan – Allegiances_

Leader:_ Nightstar_– big black tom with white spots that look stars, small yellow eyes

Deputy:_ Silvertail_ – small gray tabby striped she-cat, blue eyes and a white muzzle and tail

Medicine cat:_ Darktail_ - big brown tabby tom with blue-green eyes

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

_Oakpelt_–brown tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICE, Hollowpaw

_Brownpine_–brown tom with amber eyes, brother to Oakpelt

APPRENTICE, Leafpaw

_Yellowfang_–gray she-cat with a yellow muzzle, amber-green eyes

_Orangewing_–ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes

APPRENTICE, Flamepaw

_Tailtip_–tortoiseshell tom with a white tail tip

APPRENTICE, Dawnpaw

_Dovetail_–pretty white she-cat with grey splotches on forehead, blue-green eyes

_Amberheart_–unique ginger tabby she-cat, blue eyes, sister to Orangewing

APPRENTICE, Birdpaw

_Voletooth_–black tom with a white belly and brown legs, amber eyes

APPRENTICE, Tigerpaw

_Frog-eyes_–small, short-haired tom with beady amber eyes like a frog's

Apprentices (older than six moons, in training to become warriors)

_Leafpaw_– brown and orange tabby she-cat with blue eyes

_Birdpaw_– white tom with amber eyes

_Hollowpaw_– brown tom with blue-green eyes

_Tigerpaw_– orange with black tiger stripes, tom, amber-blue eyes

_Dawnpaw_– black she-cat with green eyes

_Flamepaw_– orange tom with green eyes

Queens and kits (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

_Driftwind_– very pale grey she-cat with blue eyes, expecting kits

_Mistywing_– blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes, mate to Voletooth and mother of Pathkit (light brown tom with blue eyes), and raising Gingerkit as a service to SunClan

_Bushtail_– light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, mate to Tailtip, mother of Redkit (tortoiseshell tom with green eyes) and Thistlekit (light brown tabby she-kit with amber eyes)

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

_Bigbelly_– big brown tom with green eyes, very fat

_Stumpytail_– big brown tom with orange eyes, blind in one eye and deaf in one ear, and almost mute

_Berrynose_– creamy brown warrior cat with blue eyes, retired early due to having only 3 legs; he lost one in a fight with a badger

_Hazelwhisker_– small gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

_Eaglestrike_– grey tom with green eyes

_RainClan – Allegiances_

Leader:_ Dripstar_– gray tom with blue eyes

Deputy:_ Puddlestep_– blue-gray tom with blue eyes, very kind and gentle

Medicine cat: _Echosong_– tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

APPRENTICE, Jaypaw

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

_Icewing_– white she-cat with blue eyes, black tail-tip

APPRENTICE, Beachpaw

_Flamestorm_– ginger tom with amber-green eyes

_Hollyfrost_– black she-cat with green eyes

APPRENTICE, Streampaw

_Liontail_– mottled ginger tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICE, Pondpaw

_Poolfur_– blue-gray tom with blue eyes

_Stonestream_– gray tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICE, Sandpaw

Apprentices (older than six moons, in training to become warriors):

_Pondpaw_– blue-gray she-cat with green eyes

_Streampaw_– blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes, sister to Pondpaw

_Sandpaw_– pale gingery-brown she-cat with amber eyes

_Beachpaw _– sandy brown tom with green eyes, sometimes grumpy

_Jaypaw _– gray tom with blue eyes, blind

Queens and kits (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

_Waterflower _– white she-cat with silver stripes and blue eyes, mother of Reedkit (light brown tabby she-kit, with amber eyes) and Pinekit (black tom with green eyes), mate to Flamestorm, raising Mousekit as a service to SunClan

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

_Dogtail_– brown tom with amber eyes

_Ashfur_– gray tom with dark blue eyes, black speckled fur

_Ferntrail_– gray she-cat with green eyes, black speckled fur and sister to Ashfur

_CloudClan – Allegiances_

Leader:_ Swiftstar_– gray tabby tom with amber-blue eyes, very fast and a swift runner

Deputy:_ Stormbelly_– gray tom with blue eyes

Medicine cat: _Treefur_– small dusky brown she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Flytail – small brown tom with amber eyes, brother to Quicksand and Nightwhisker

APPRENTICE, Thornpaw

_Quicksand_– small brown tom with blue eyes, brother to Flytail and Nightwhisker

_Tabbystripe_– yellow tabby striped she-cat with amber eyes, sister to Twigend

APPRENTICE, Springpaw

_Twigend_– yellow tom with amber eyes, brother to Tabbystripe

APPRENTICE, Riverpaw

_Whitethroat_– black tom with white paws, throat and chest, green eyes

_Crowfeather_– smoky gray, almost black tom with blue eyes

APPRENTICE, Harepaw

_Pulltail_– white she-cat with amber eyes

_Nightwhisker_– white she-cat with a black muzzle, paws and whisker area, sister to Quicksand and Flytail

APPRENTICE, Rabbitpaw

_Clawface_– big brown tom with amber eyes, scarred face

APPRENTICE, Gorsepaw

_Teddyfur_– blue-gray she-cat with dark blue eyes

Apprentices (older than six moons, in training to become warriors)

_Rabbitpaw _– white she-cat with amber eyes, sister to Harepaw and Springpaw

_Harepaw_– small brown tom with blue eyes, brother to Springpaw and Rabbitpaw

_Springpaw_– big black tom with green eyes, brother to Harepaw and Rabbitpaw

_Riverpaw_– blue-grey tom with green eyes

_Thornpaw_– golden-brown tom with amber eyes, brother to Gorsepaw

_Gorsepaw_– golden-brown tom with green eyes, brother to Thornpaw

Queens and kits (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

_Spottedpelt _– grey and white tabby she-cat, pretty green eyes, mother to Huntkit (dark brown she-kit with amber eyes), Bearkit (dark brown she-kit with amber eyes) and Leapkit (white she-kit with watery blue eyes) and mate to Clawface, raising Runningkit as a service to SunClan

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

_Cindernose_ – fluffy gray she-cat, with blue eyes and a wavy tail

_Honeyflower _– light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes and a tortoiseshell tail

_Sweetsong _– pale brown tabby she-cat, with blue eyes

_Firefoot_ – flame-red orange tom with sharp green eyes

_Mousefur _– small dusky brown she-cat with green eyes

_Longtail _– pale tabby tom with blue eyes, retired early due to failing sight

_Cats Outside Clans_

Willow – pale grey with white tabby stripes and blue eyes, kittypet, mother to Rain, Cloud, Sorrel, Song, Night, Misty, Star and Amber

Sorrel – tortoiseshell she-kit with amber eyes

Song – tortoiseshell she-kit with blue eyes

Night – black tom with amber eyes

Star – yellow she-kit with amber eyes

Misty – blue-gray she-kit with blue eyes

Rain – blue-gray tom with green eyes

Amber – amber-furred tabby she-kit with amber eyes

Cloud – calico, but mostly white, tom with amber eyes

Windstorm – gray tabby tom with sky-gray eyes, used to live in CloudClan but was exiled after he murdered the former deputy, hungry for power

_Other Animals_

Storm – black terrier dog who lives on a farm near Clan territory


	3. Prologue

**Meh.... this is a TERRIBLE chapter, I know. Well.... maybe not. But; you flamers may think so! But I have many loyal readers that will support me throughout this WHOLE STORY!!!! :) Actually, I like this chapter: I couldn't come up with anything better for the prophecy, though; so you will just HAVE TO DEAL. :) **

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PROLOGUE

It was a quiet but rainy thunderstorm night. It would almost have been peaceful, except for the rain lashing around the forest. Amberleaf, the medicine cat of SunClan, sat outside in the pouring rain, her face tilted up to the sky.

"What do you see, Windtail?" she asked her apprentice, not taking her eyes off the sky.

"I can't help thinking that SkyClan is trying to tell me something, but in this storm, I don't think our warrior ancestors can reach us." Windtail spoke from where she sat beside Amberleaf. "We might have to wait until the storm is over."

"Maybe we will," Amberleaf agreed. "But then again, maybe we won't…."

Suddenly, lightning crashed through the sky and the clouds parted, to reveal a single star. Amberleaf jumped to her paws, and stared up, transfixed. Her eyes seemed to gaze at nothing and she looked very alert.

Windtail stared at her mentor, surprised. "What is it, Amberleaf?" Her mentor was still staring at the sky.

Finally, Amberleaf broke away her gaze and looked straight at Windtail. "It was a prophecy," she declared.

"What did it say?" she pressed her mentor, amazed. She watched as Amberleaf got that faraway look in her eyes again.

"_There are hard times coming. There will be four, born by the youngest queen in SunClan, whom of which must be split up at birth, otherwise, the Clans are in danger of being killed and the warrior code will rule the forest never again_."

The faraway look in her eyes faded and she relaxed. "I must tell this to Redstar. He will want to know about this."

Windtail was incredibly excited. "But that means Whiteflower! Whiteflower's kits are to be born soon. The prophecy must mean her!"

"You may be right, Windtail," Amberleaf agreed. "But only time will tell. We will tell Redstar and Pinkcloud of this at once, and study the stars at the time of her kits' births. We will know more by then. Let's go, now."

And she led the way up to Redstar's den, so they could tell him about this strange new prophecy.

***

A faint mewling could be heard in the nursery. All was dark.

"Whiteflower, hold still! Your first kit is coming," Windtail told the wriggling queen.

"Sorry – it's really uncomfortable!" Whiteflower protested.

"Ah, here comes the first one," Windtail murmured, and picked up a pale brown tabby she-kit for Whiteflower to lick.

"Oh, she's wonderful." Whiteflower began licking her first kit.

"Now, if this prophecy is correct, there should be four kits," Windtail said, checking the mother. "Ah, here's another one now." She picked up another kit now, a pale ginger she-kit, and handed it to Whiteflower. "Two more, I think…."

When the kitting was finally complete, four kits were snuggled up against Whiteflower's belly.

"What will you name them?" Windtail murmured gently to Whiteflower.

"Well, there's one tom. His name is Runningkit," Whiteflower decided, touching Runningkit with her tail. "This ginger one is Gingerkit," she added, resting her tail on the pale ginger tabby. "And the small brown tabby will be Mousekit, and the bigger one will be Sandkit."

"Those are wonderful names." Windtail nodded. "But you do have to give them up, you know.

"But it's raining outside! My kits will die out in that weather!" Whiteflower hissed.

"Okay, then, until the rain stops. But no longer," Windtail said firmly, and stepped outside to wait.

Silvertail from MoonClan, Puddlestep from RainClan and Nightwhisker from CloudClan were waiting outside.

"So? When can we get the kits?" Nightwhisker asked Windtail.

"Soon. When the rain stops," Windtail murmured. "You'll see."

She saw Amberleaf leave the nursery. She must have gone in as Windtail left.

She hurried over to Windtail.

"Hey, Windtail, when the time comes to split up the kits, Gingerkit goes to MoonClan, Mousekit to RainClan and Runningkit to CloudClan," Amberleaf panted.

"Okay, I'll be sure to remember that," she assured her mentor.

She sat down and began to wait for the rain to stop with the other Clan warriors in a sheltered bush.

_Oh, SkyClan,_ she thought in despair. _Whatever is happening to us now?_


	4. Chapter 1

**Meh. I HATE short chapters. Nothing really much that I CAN do about it, though; as I said before, I WILL NOT CHANGE THIS STORY. Got it? Good. :) Enjoy this chapter! 3 :3**

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CHAPTER 1

_Sandkit_

Sandkit lay down in the nursery and listened as her mother spoke of the previous Clan before SunClan.

"Their name was ThunderClan. They had a wise leader, and his name was Firestar. He was the greatest leader the forest would ever see. Then, one moon, 3 kits were born. Their parents were Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, and their names were Hollypaw, Jaypaw and Lionpaw. It was said that they had the power of the stars in their paws. And so they did. When Hollypaw and Lionpaw got their warrior names, Hollyfrost and Liontail, they went around the lake, taking any cats who wanted to form new Clans. Then, with all their new cats, they traveled around the lake. It had been a good year. Each of the warrior, elder and queen she-cats had kits and so they were able to bring a lot of kits on their journey. I am descended from Breezeclaw and Hollyfrost; my siblings are Amberleaf, Pulltail and Brownpine; and you are my kit. Your brother and sisters are in other Clans. Anyway, back to the story. At least one kit came from each litter. In fact, many of the cats we see here in this Clan today were descended from other cats," Whiteflower finished.

"More! More!" Sandkit mewled.

"No, it's time for bed, dear one," Whiteflower soothed.

_All right, but I'm not happy about it!_ Sandkit thought as she fell asleep for a nap.

***

A little bit later, when Sandkit woke up, it was sunhigh. She stretched and yawned, then went outside to play. Palekit, one of Dawnwing's kits, and Swallowkit, one of Greenfrost's kits, were already out there.

"Hey, Sandkit!" Palekit yowled. "How are you doing this sunhigh?"

"Oh, me? I'm doing just fine. I'm hungry," Sandkit meowed.

"Well, a hunting patrol is due to get back soon," Swallowkit mewed. "I just hope they bring fresh prey!" She twitched her ears in disgust at the fresh-kill pile, and Sandkit nodded and understood. There was a small, stale thrush and a rotten vole.

"Well, what will we do until then?" Sandkit asked her friends.

"I don't know. I'll go see if the others have any ideas." Swallowkit scuttled into the nursery.

"Okay, well, while we wait, let's chase that butterfly over there!" Sandkit mewed excitedly, and leaped after it. Palekit followed her and leaped up.

Foxkit, Hedgekit, Snowkit and Bluekit tumbled out of the nursery after Swallowkit a few moments later.

"Okay, guys, any ideas?" Palekit demanded.

"Why don't we go to the pond at the edge of the territory?" Snowkit suggested, her white fur fluffing up excitedly.

"Okay!" Sandkit agreed, and the seven kits ran out of the entrance to the pond.

When they got there, it had started to rain. Dark blue clouds were covering the sky, and there was a tinge of green in several places around the sky. The wind had dropped and the rainstorm continued.

Swallowkit looked around uneasily as the other kits, Sandkit included, played in the pond.

"Uh, guys…." she whimpered. "I don't like this. I see a-"

"Swallowkit, you see signs in everything," Hedgekit snapped. "Nothing is wrong! Now stop worrying. I mean, what could possibly happen on a day like this?"

His question was answered by the wind suddenly picking up. The seven kits gazed out over the moorland – they were right on the border – and stared in shocked surprise as a funnel starting coming out of a weird green cloud.

"It's a tornado, and it's just as I feared!" Swallowkit wailed. "Run!"

The seven kits raced back into the forest without a backwards glance. But silently Sandkit wondered about her brother, Runningkit, and if he was okay.

"Oh, Runningkit," she murmured silently, too low for any cat to hear anyway, "Please be safe!"


	5. Chapter 2

**Well, anyway.... here's Chapter 2. It's terrible! (in a sad sense) *covers eyes* Oh, no! I can't look! I don't want to see Spottedpelt die.... *uncovers eyes* Whoops! I guess I just gave you guys a HUGE spoiler! In that case, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *runs away* *sends a message back through my blowhorn* ENJOY THE CHAPTER!.........................................**

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CHAPTER 2

_Runningkit_

"Tornado!" screamed a cat. "Into the Stone Protection Den!"

Runningkit didn't know what a tornado was. He stepped up to his leader, Swiftstar.

"Hey, Swiftstar?" Runningkit mewed. "What is a torn...."  
The kit's words were snatched out of his mouth as Swiftstar grabbed him and yowled, "Everybody! THE STONE PROTECTION DEN! IN! NOW!" and rushed towards it himself.

When they got inside two strong warriors that Runningkit knew as Clawface and Nightwhisker pushed the opening to the den closed as wind began to thrash around the sides of the rock.

Leapkit, Bearkit and Huntkit huddled close to their mother, Spottedpelt's side. Clawface circled back protectively and paced around the family, deep in thought. Runningkit sat with the apprentices Springpaw, Riverpaw and Harepaw.

The elders sat not too far away from them. Runningkit could hear what they were saying.

"I haven't seen a tornado like this since I was a kit," Mousefur rasped. "The circumstances are probably worse than a moon of cyclones." She looked over at the others. Cindernose closed her eyes as if considering something and Honeyflower nodded slowly.

"What do you mean?" Firefoot asked, his green eyes seeming to glow in the stiff blackness. Sweetsong and Longtail backed him up with quiet murmurs, too low for Runningkit to figure out what they were saying.

"I mean that this is the worst tornado that can happen and that a moon of cyclones probably can't measure up to the damage that this one spinner will do."

There were some chuckles around the den as Mousefur stated her words.

"True," Firefoot agreed, "But this is a pretty bad storm."

Longtail turned his sightless gaze on Runningkit. "I can feel you watching us," he panted.

Runningkit was taken aback. "Why – I mean, how?!"

Longtail's blue eyes glowed. "Being blind awakens the other senses, you know," he reminded Runningkit gently, and the black and white kit rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, right," he scoffed. "That's like, the BILLIONTH time you've told me!"

"Only because some cats can't remember," Longtail murmured, and flicked the kit's ear with his tail tip.

Runningkit sighed and turned away. Everybody always acted like he was helpless! "I am three moons old, and they should know that," he muttered to himself.

He walked over to where Leapkit was daring Huntkit to climb up the back wall of the Stone Den. "I dare you!" "No! Do it yourself!" "For a couple of mousetails, PLEASE?" "And why should I?" "Because I want to see what it's like, okay?" "Well, I'm not in the mood today!" "Okay, then, you can watch me…."

"De-de-de-de-de-da. Blah," Runningkit muttered as he turned away.

He saw Bearkit rush up to him. "Have you seen Spottedpelt?"

"No, why?" Runningkit asked, intrigued.

"Because I don't think she's in here!" Bearkit wailed.

"WHAT?!" Runningkit shrieked. This she-kit must be joking! "You…. You're not joking, right?" His foster mother wouldn't be lost if he could help it.

"No. SO WHERE IS SHE?!" the young dark brown kit wailed.

"I'll help you search…." Runningkit said just as Teddyfur announced, "The tornado is gone and the coast is clear!"

The cats who had been waiting to roll the stone back did, and all the cats looked out….

…. And Runningkit must have been the most horrified by what he saw.

Spottedpelt was lying unmoving in the entrance to Treefur's den.

"Spottedpelt! No!" Runningkit dashed over to his foster mother and pushed his nose into her fur. Meanwhile, Bearkit, Huntkit and Leapkit padded toward their mother on shocked, unsteady legs.

Longtail padded out of the Den. He focused his attention on the kits. Being blind meant you could feel other cats' feelings.... Jaypaw, in RainClan, had once told him he could do it before the prophesied cats came, and caused the Clans to split up. Now there were eleven Clans, Longtail realized. ThunderClan, which he had been a part of, WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan, SkyClan, which Firestar had told him about many times on trips to the elders' den, SunClan, MoonClan, RainClan, which Hollyfrost, Liontail and Jaypaw lived in, and CloudClan, which he was a part of, and finally the two spirit Clans: StarClan, where the legacy of the first four Clans was held, and SkyClan, where the sky-element Clan lore was kept. All in all, there was a nice balance, Longtail thought.

Turning his attention back to the kits, Longtail tried to pick up some feelings from them. Sadness and anger battled in the younger kits' pelts, however, Runningkit seemed to be laden down with sadness, but some confusion lingered there too. Longtail wondered why.

He turned in Clawface's direction, and felt pride, anger and – could it be? - just the tiniest twinge of revenge. Longtail turned to Spottedpelt's dead body, and picked up her feelings and memories, which were starting to rise up into the air. He picked up the one he had been looking for and latched onto it, drawing it into himself, so he could read the memory.

_"No! Please, Clawface, please don't do it!" a spotted she-cat protested as she was dragged along by a hefty brown tom._

_"Sorry. It's the only way." There was some regret in the tom's voice, but he held strong._

_"You were always too hungry for power. You needed a mate, kits, and an apprentice to be deputy, and then leader. Look, now you have all that." The she-cat's voice was scalding. "You never cared about me or your kits. Now you think that you can just get rid of me, eh? Well, think again. SkyClan will be angry," she warned._

_"Ha! SkyClan? They don't even exist! They're just some.... some nursery tale to scare cats into submission. I'm sure that they are not watching down, will not punish me.... because they will punish you!" The tom bit down on the she-cat's leg, making her scream with pain. Then he bit the others, making her fall. She couldn't move from the spot she was in now._

_"Good-bye, pathetic mate. Now I will get rid of those kits, too, especially that.... that _Runningkit_." He snorted and left, and the she-cat screamed as the tornado was upon her, and she was swirled up into its forbidding, spinning mass. _Oh, SkyClan. What have I done? I'm dying.... ugh.... I bet that Clawface thinks it's a good riddance._ Then, the memory ended, and Longtail guessed that the she-cat had died._

He gasped when he realized that he had just watched Spottedpelt's last moments.


	6. Chapter 3

***sigh* I wish that I could make Mousekit an apprentice, too....**

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CHAPTER 3

_Mousekit_

When Mousekit woke up, it was evening. She got up and stretched, and saw Reedkit and Pinekit stuck together in the nursery entrance, which was more or less a part of the tree, except some branches hung down in front of the wall surrounding the camp, and it created a room, which in this case was the nursery. There were little holes dug in the ground where the queens slept. Mousekit stopped thinking about the nursery and turned to Reedkit and Pinekit.

"Where are you going?" she asked sleepily.

"Dripstar has just called a Clan meeting!" Reedkit announced.

"Waterflower told us we will become apprentices!" added Pinekit excitedly.

"Wonderful." Mousekit yawned. "I still have a while to wait, but I'm coming with you."

"Okay!" Reedkit agreed. "The more the merrier!" Pinekit added, and the two kits squeezed out of the nursery. Mousekit followed them more slowly.

When she got outside, Dripstar was already talking.

"Making new apprentices shows strength, and we have two new apprentices to name today," the gray tom announced. "After that, two other apprentices will be made warriors."

"Reedkit," he said, beckoning to the brown tabby she-kit. Reedkit walked up, trying to be dignified, but gave a huge bounce instead. Dripstar's whiskers twitched with amusement, and he spoke again: "Reedkit, from this moment until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Reedpaw. Flamestorm, you have not yet had an apprentice. You will be mentor to Reedpaw."

Flamestorm walked up to his apprentice, and he and Reedpaw touched noses.

"Pinekit, come forward." Dripstar waited until the kit had come out, and began his ceremony as well.

"Puddlestep, you don't have an apprentice anymore. You mentored Stonestream well, and you will now be mentor to Pinepaw."

Pinepaw touched noses with Puddlestep had come up to him. He gave a little bounce. He was going to be the deputy's apprentice!

"Do well, young one," Puddlestep murmured in his ear.

The whole Clan cheered the two new apprentices on.

"Pinepaw! Reedpaw!"

Mousekit watched as the new apprentices were welcomed.

She watched Dripstar get ready to speak again. "I now have two new warriors to name."

"Pondpaw, come here." Dripstar flicked his tail for Pondpaw to come to the Branch.

"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Pondpaw was quivering with excitement.

"Then by the powers of SkyClan I give you your warrior name. Pondpaw, from this moment you will be known as Pondtail. Use your strengths to guide your Clanmates and you will be honored." He stepped forward to rest his muzzle on Pondtail's head, and Pondtail licked his shoulder in return.

"Now I have the task of naming another warrior."

"Streampaw, come forward." Streampaw raced to the spot in front of Dripstar, where Pondtail had been sitting just moments before.

"Streampaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Streampaw's voice was loud.

"Then by the powers of SkyClan I give you your warrior name. Streampaw, from this moment you will be known as Streamwhisker." Dripstar rested his muzzle on Streamwhisker's shoulder and she licked his shoulder, as the ritual was.

"Pondtail! Streamwhisker!" Their Clanmates cheered them on.

"Now, as according to ancient tradition, Pondtail and Streamwhisker must sit a silent vigil for one night. This ceremony is over." Dripstar leaped down from the branch and disappeared into his own den. Streamwhisker and Pondtail nodded to each other, and then took up positions in the middle of the clearing, where they kept silent.

Mousekit realized that she was very sleepy, but Hollyfrost and Liontail had just come back from patrol before the ceremony, and they had something interesting to report. Pinepaw, Reedpaw, Puddlestep and Beachpaw had already gathered around them, and more cats were coming up, too. Mousekit darted forward to sit beside Reedpaw and Pinepaw to listen.

"There was a tornado in CloudClan territory – big and twisty, and it funneled down out of a green cloud," Liontail explained.

"We hid in the crevice of a rock until it had passed, and then we went to CloudClan. The tornado could still be seen twirling around and around on the very distant moorland, but the wind had come back and was pushing it away," Hollyfrost said.

"You mean the wind goes away when a tornado twisty thingy comes?" Mousekit was surprised.

"Yes, Mousekit, it dies down until you can no longer feel it and the sky turns an eerie green colour. Then, it funnels down to the ground, usually on the moorland, and the cats who live there have to hide in a sort of stone den called the Stone Protection Den," Liontail explained.

"That is strange," Jaypaw remarked, and Mousekit jumped. She hadn't realized that he was behind her.

"I can feel your surprise, Mousekit," Jaypaw said, and she turned to look at the blind cat in awe.

"Well, anyway," Hollyfrost said, carrying on. "We got there and they told us that Spottedpelt had died! Runningkit was so upset, but then Longtail told us that he had picked up shreds of memory from Spottedpelt's dead body...."

"Only because I told him how to do it," Jaypaw interrupted rudely.

"And Clawface had killed her!" Hollyfrost finished.

"Her own mate? That's terrible!" Icewing called, and there were several collective gasps around the camp.

"Yes, I know. Longtail went to tell Swiftstar, and we left. Runningkit said good-bye to us," Liontail added.

"And now I should think that it's time to sleep!" Mousekit looked up. She had been so busy listening to Hollyfrost and Liontail speak that she had hardly noticed Waterflower come up behind her.

"Come on, little one," she murmured, and reluctantly Mousekit let Waterflower pick her up by the scruff and take her back to the nursery. Being only three moons old wasn't easy!

The cats started to drift away to their dens, and Mousekit got into her place beside Waterflower in the nursery and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 4

**Ooh! Mischievousness! These two kits are ALWAYS getting into trouble! But what about Pathkit's father, Voletooth? Will he stop the kits' escapades forever? Oh, no! Find out and enjoy the plot in this edition of Chapter 4! :) **

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CHAPTER 4

_Gingerkit_

It was dawn, the day after Dovetail and Brownpine had told them about the tornado on CloudClan's territory.

Gingerkit leaped down from a branch in the copse of trees that served as MoonClan's camp. Pathkit, a light brown tom, landed right behind her in the soft, rotten pine needles that she landed in.

"This is fun!" he mewed. "Gingerkit, let's go to the fresh-kill pile! And jump down on that!"

"Okay!" she agreed, and they raced over to the pile – which only had 3 mice and a thrush on it – and clawed their way up a tree.

"Okay, Kit Path," Gingerkit cried. "Let's show each other our stuff!"

"Don't call me Kit Path," Pathkit whined. "I don't like it."

"Okay, okay, alright, Pathkit," Gingerkit sighed. "You don't have to bite my nose off, you know...."

Pathkit's eyes got a lively glimmer in them again. "Don't have to bite your nose off? Oh, I can, all right. Just watch me fight!"

The two kits were on their "bridge" which was a bunch of branches all stuck together, and more branches formed a barrier so that they wouldn't fall off. It was a kind of fortden.

Gingerkit struggled beneath Pathkit's stronger hold, and she fell limp. Pathkit loosened his grip, and she burst up, firing him into the pine-needle and leaf wall. They had gotten the leaves from other trees and put them into piles along the wall so that no cat would get hurt.

Pathkit got up, yowled a playful challenge, and starting running really fast at Gingerkit, however, she just jumped out of the way and gave him a kick to send him on his way across the floor, and he rolled to the entrance of the fort, almost falling down out of the tree.

"Nice move!" he panted. "Where'd you learn it?"

"I made it up," Gingerkit mewed slyly. "I'll be a great apprentice when I become one."

"Well, really, it's still a while. We're all quite young. I'm three and a half moons old, you're three moons old, and Redkit and Thistlekit are two moons old! And Driftwind is still expecting kits! Face it, none of us will be training for at least two and a half moons."

The kits listened to Nightstar and Silvertail talking in the clearing below.

"Silvertail, you need to send out the dawn patrol...." Nightstar was saying.

"Is it okay if I am at the head of the patrol?" Silvertail asked. "And also, the fresh-kill pile is low. Do you mind if I send out a hunting party as well?"

"Send out both. That was a good idea." Nightstar nodded.

"Who wants to go on the dawn patrol and who wants to go on a hunting party?" called Silvertail.

"I would like to come on the dawn patrol," Darktail called. "I am a medicine cat, I know, but I need to find some burdock root, and that grows right on the border."

"I want to go hunting." Oakpelt padded up to Silvertail and Darktail. "I'll take Hollowpaw with me. Amberheart and Birdpaw offered to come as well." He looked at Silvertail for assent, and she nodded.

Amberheart, Birdpaw and Hollowpaw came out of their dens and the four cats were off. Silvertail turned to the other warriors.

"I'll come on the dawn patrol," Orangewing announced, padding up with Flamepaw.

"Okay," Silvertail agreed, and with a last call to Nightstar she led the patrol out of camp.

"That will be me one day," Gingerkit murmured, gazing down upon the camp.

"You think you have a chance? _I_ want to be deputy," Pathkit protested.

"All of us want to," Gingerkit remarked. "But only one cat gets the privilege, you know."

"Yes, I know," Pathkit sighed, jumping down into the camp.

"I know you know," Gingerkit said seriously and leaped down after him.

It was sunhigh on the same day. Gingerkit had just taken her daily nap, with Pathkit and Mistywing by her side. My, though, she had been sleepy. Now she was wide awake and ready to leave the copse with her foster mother and Pathkit.

"So remember, kits, don't run off without me," Mistywing was saying. "I am taking Bushtail's kits out as well and I expect you to behave around them so that you don't give them any bad examples!"

"Yes, Mother," Pathkit sighed.

"Yes, Mistywing," Gingerkit replied, a little more cheerfully than Pathkit had.

"Good. Now, let me just find Redkit and Thistlekit and we'll be on our way." Mistywing hurried off and Pathkit and Gingerkit looked at each other with excitement. Pathkit squealed, and Voletooth came up and wrapped his tail around his son.

He cast a wary glance at Gingerkit, and she sighed. Cats would always be remembering that she did not come from this Clan.

"Now, be careful out there. If that Gingerkit gets into something that is unsafe, don't tell your mother. We could get rid of her yet," Voletooth whispered to Pathkit. Gingerkit pricked up her ears. She had heard every single word.

Just then, Mistywing burst out of the main camp area where the dens were, Thistlekit and Redkit by her side, and said, "We can't stay out too long. Leafpaw, Hollowpaw and Birdpaw will become warriors soon, at sundown!"

There was no mistaking the pride in her voice. Leafpaw, Birdpaw and Hollowpaw had been her first litter.

There had been a fourth kit, named Frostkit, or so Gingerkit had heard, but he had died soon after birth. There was something else, though, some other piece of information that Gingerkit had overheard Nightstar telling Stormbelly.

Mistystar, a leader of RiverClan, which still existed like ThunderClan, WindClan and ShadowClan did, had fallen in love with a ThunderClan tom named Cloudtail, and bore his kits. Mistykit and Whitekit at the time, had become Mistywing and Whitewind, and each wanted to bear kits. Then, they had split up into different Clans when the new Clans were made because some cats wanted to leave the other Clans, but still wanted to live in a Clan of their own.

Well, Frostkit was related to both ThunderClan and RiverClan, wasn't he? And he had died of greencough, but still....

"That's great, Mistywing!" Voletooth's voice jolted Gingerkit out of her thoughts. "I wonder.... if Frostkit will be watching them tonight down from SkyClan?"

"Maybe.... oh, his death caused me so much distress!" Mistywing wailed. "Now only three of my kits are becoming warriors. Anyway—let's go outside now." She seemed desperate to change the subject.

She led the way outside, but Gingerkit could tell that something was up.

When they got back to camp at sundown, Nightstar was just calling a Clan meeting.

Gingerkit hurried up to the Oak, and sat down beside Pathkit, who was congratulating his bigger brothers and sister.

"Hey, Gingerkit," Leafpaw greeted her. "Birdpaw, Hollowpaw and I will get our warrior names soon."

"I know, and I'm SO excited for you!" Gingerkit cried. "That will be me one day!"

Leafpaw chuckled. "Indeed, Gingerkit. Indeed it will be."

Then she had to go up to the Oak with her brothers, and Gingerkit couldn't talk to her anymore.

"Leafpaw, Hollowpaw, Birdpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do," the apprentices chorused.

"Then by the powers of SkyClan, I give you your warrior names. Leafpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Leafwhisker. SkyClan honors your bravery and your honor, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

Nightstar did what always happened at the warrior ceremonies – resting his muzzle on top of the new warrior's head and the new warrior would lick his shoulder in return – and turned to the other apprentices.

"Hollowpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Hollowbranch. SkyClan honors your patience and your wits, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan." They did what Leafwhisker had done with Nightstar, and Hollowbranch padded back to sit with the other warriors and Leafwhisker.

"Birdpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Birdwing. SkyClan honors your strength and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MoonClan."

Then they did the same as Hollowbranch and Leafwhisker and Birdwing went to sit with the other warriors.

"Hollowbranch! Leafwhisker! Birdwing!" the Clan all cheered enthusiastically.

"Now, according to tradition, the three new warriors must sit a silent vigil for one night until dawn."

The three new warriors went off to find vigil spots in the middle of the clearing, and Gingerkit yawned. She hadn't realized how tired she was.

She padded slowly off to the nursery, curled up in her side of the empty nest that Mistywing and Pathkit shared with her, and fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 5

**:/ I don't know if you can call the cleaning the elders' den "training", but apparently so! All right, enjoy this chapter! :) I hope you like the twist I set into it! ;) **

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Chapter 5

_Mousekit_

Mousekit enviously watched Reedpaw and Pinepaw train. Reedpaw was set to cleaning out the elder's den that morning, and Pinepaw was to go hunting.

"Hey, can I help clean out the elder's den?" the kit asked the older cat.

"Sure, Mousekit. Later, though; I need to collect moss for the elders' den and you can come with me," she said.

"Yay!" Mousekit bounced around Reedpaw's feet as she carried some mouse bile to the elder's den.

Dogtail, Ferntrail and Ashfur were sunning themselves in the entrance to the den and when Reedpaw and Mousekit arrived, they sat up.

"Is that mouse bile? Good. Please, can you kill a tick at the base of my tail?" Ashfur asked Reedpaw, and the apprentice set to work.

"And I reckon that you, little one, have come to hear a story?" Ferntrail asked Mousekit.

Mousekit glanced at Reedpaw, who nodded, and her tail struck straight up in the air as she asked, "Please can you tell me of when the Clans were formed? SunClan and MoonClan and RainClan and CloudClan, I mean."

"Sure." Ferntrail's eyes were warm as she spoke. "The three prophecy cats were Jaypaw, Hollyfrost and Liontail. Jaypaw got a prophecy, and he told his siblings. They realized that they must make four new Clans, and have new warrior ancestors. So they set off to every Clan to ask if they would join a new Clan. Many cats said yes, and they set off. Still, there weren't enough cats, so they picked up many kittypets, rogues and loners along the way to join these new Clans. I got my name changed from Ferncloud to Ferntrail, and I was happy about it. Many cats got their names changed. Also, Dogtail here was a very old kittypet and he offered to join because his Twolegs no longer took care of him. He wasn't faring well, that's for sure. His name was Dog when he joined us, and later Dripstar named him Dogtail because his tail was short and skinny as a dog's is. We later found out that he was one of Mousefur's and Longtail's kits. And now, see, we prosper as different Clans and there are 11 in total living right now, but there is the spiritual SkyClan and the living SkyClan, which are all different in many ways. Ah, Reedpaw, yes, that's the last tick. Now, go get some moss. And you, little Mousekit, go with her."

"Bye!" Mousekit waved her tail in farewell as she bounded out of the den after Reedpaw.

When they got to a big tree, Reedpaw started clawing moss out of a crevice in the trunk.

"So, this is what you do. You claw moss into a pile, and put it on the ground, and then you pick it up when you're done, delicately though, you don't want it all parting and falling out of your jaws."

Just then, Mousekit smelled a strange scent. "What is that?!" she mewed, alarmed.

"A kittypet, I think," Reedpaw whispered. "With lots of kits, by the sound of it. Just be quiet."

Sure enough, soon eight kits and a pale grey tabby with white stripes kittypet queen entered the clearing. The queen was carrying two on her back, and she kept placing kits on the ground and picking up more kits by her scruff. She looked over at the forest cats and gave a fearsome screech.

"Quiet down, queen. We won't hurt you. What's your name?" Reedpaw approached the cat gently.

"My name is Willow.... and these two tortoiseshell she-kits are called Sorrel and Song, this black tom over here is Night, this yellow she-kit with amber eyes is Star, these blue-gray kits are Misty—a she-kit—and Rain—he's a tom, this amber tabby she-kit is Amber, and this calico tom is Cloud."

"Why so many kits?" Mousekit mewed curiously. "The biggest litter of kits I've ever seen or heard about had 5 kits in it."

"Well, in the housefolk-place, we have litters of up to 12 kits, usually."

"Would you like to join RainClan?" asked Reedpaw, not unkindly.

"I don't know.... may I stay until my kits and I are ready to choose?"

"Sure!" Reedpaw said warmly. "Although the other cats may not be too happy." She looked suddenly worried. Warriors did _not_ welcome kittypets into their Clan. In fact, they were so soft and weak they were highly scorned; and many cruel warriors had killed a kittypet at least once in their lifetime as scorn for the hated creatures. Mousekit could not see why; they were cats, just like any other; but she had been raised to obey what the _warriors_ thought and not make these judgments on her own—she might get _severely_ punished if she did.

"Well, they'll be fine," Mousekit piped up. "Come on, Misty." She hoisted the really small kit onto her back and starting stumbling back to camp. Reedpaw grabbed Sorrel in her mouth and Song and Cloud jumped onto her back. Willow grabbed Night in her mouth and Star, Amber and Rain jumped onto her back. They slowly padded back to camp, under the weight of all those heavy kits.

***

When Mousekit arrived back at camp, Echosong and Puddlestep were talking, but Echosong looked up and gasped, "Oh, my! What is _that_?"

"A kit, and her name is Misty. Her kittypet mother, Willow, has seven more kits, which are coming with her and Reedpaw," Mousekit announced proudly.

Just then, Reedpaw arrived. Sorrel, Song and Cloud scrambled gratefully to the floor. Willow was right behind them, and Star, Amber and Rain fell to the ground, and Night was plopped down among them.

"And what do we have here?" Dripstar had come up behind everyone and demanded to know what was going on.

"This was a kittypet, who was afraid her kits would get taken by Twolegs, so she came here," Reedpaw declared.

"Oh, such sweet things!" Echosong murmured. Echosong was rather fond of kittypets and all other cats; the rest of the Clan was _afraid_ to antagonize her and perhaps lose favour with StarClan. "Jaypaw, get a nest ready for Willow in the nursery, will you?"

"Fine," the gray tabby grumbled, trailing off in the direction of the medicine cats' den.

"Poor Jaypaw!" Echosong sighed. "I really need to give him his proper medicine cat name soon."

"Yes," Dripstar agreed. "Now, back to you, Willow.... do you want to stay? We can give you shelter, and a warrior name...."

There was a long silence, and then: "Yes, I will stay, this looks like a fairly nice place, in leaf-bare I know it will be cold, but it will be worth it, still." She suddenly gasped. "But what about my housefolk? They'll be worried sick!"

"Well, they won't come to find you, that's for sure. You look as if you've traveled a long way. Where did you come from?" Puddlestep asked Willow, his eyes troubled.

"I came from a place, beside a ruined forest, I passed some small mountains, and got lost in a tangle of housefolk-nests.... and then I found you cats, and you all seem like a pretty nice bunch," Willow confirmed.

"The old forest!" Ashfur leaped up, with Ferntrail at his side. "We are some of the only survivors, to see the whole forest intact, in our lifetimes.... it's all ruined, isn't it?"

Willow paused for a moment, then whispered, "Yeah."

"That's too bad...." Mousekit remarked.

"Now, Willow, come up to the Streamrock, where we will give you and your kits proper Clan names."

Willow stepped up to the Streamrock, and Dripstar began.

"This is a kittypet who no longer has the care of her Twoleg owners. Willow, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do...." Willow murmured.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Willow, from this moment you will be known as Willowstep. May StarClan know that from this day, you are a true cat of RainClan."

"Willowstep! Willowstep!" all the cats in the clearing cheered.

"We want Clan names, too!" Sorrel had come up to the Streamrock, with her brothers and sisters following her.

"Okay, then. From this moment until you earn your apprentice names, you will be known as Sorrelkit, Songkit, Nightkit, Starkit, Mistykit, Rainkit, Amberkit and Cloudkit."

"Sorrelkit! Songkit! Nightkit! Starkit! Mistykit! Rainkit! Amberkit! Cloudkit!" the Clan cheered.

"The nest is ready!" Jaypaw called from the nursery.

"Thank you," Willowstep said. "Kits! Come along now."

"Speaking of which," Waterflower said sternly, coming up behind Mousekit, "It's halfway to evening. Time for sleep. You didn't sleep well enough last night."

"Mom...." Mousekit protested. One look at her foster mom's face was enough to tell that she would be defeated, anyway.

"Okay," she sighed grudgingly. At least tonight there would be kits younger than her!

She let Waterflower herd her off to the nursery and fell asleep in no time.


	9. Chapter 6

**SHORTY-NESS SHORTY-NESS SHORTY-NESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( Oh, well, I guess you'll just have to deal with it! You ARE my loyal readers, aren't you?! :) *snickers* In this chapter, Sandkit gets in OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! TROOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBBBBLLLLLLLLLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :D Enjoy this chapter and the next one, too, since Chapter 8 won't be posted up for a WHILE! :) **

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Chapter 6

_Sandkit_

Sandkit watched Palekit and Foxkit out in the camp, eating freshkill. She was waiting for Swallowkit to wake up and come into the camp to play in their fort above the apprentices' den. Hedgekit and Snowkit might come also, and Bluekit was listening to a story in the elders' den.

Sandkit sighed. _How long can those kits take?_ she thought despairingly.

Just then, Amberleaf was rushing to the nursery, with Windtail following on her heels, a wad of herbs in her jaws.

"Leopardspots is having her kits!" Flamepool screeched, and Sandkit moved to her nest, far enough away to not disturb them but close enough to have a good view.

"Yes.... that's right, Leopardspots, you're doing fine." Amberleaf helped Windtail set out the herbs they might need.

"Here, Leopardspots. Eat this borage. When your kits come, it will help." Windtail gave the kitting queen some leaves, and she swallowed them.

"Bleh! I never want to eat anything like that again. Leaves are horrible!" Leopardspots spat.

"Shh! Be quiet! Your first kit is coming." An all-black tom-kit came sliding out, and Amberleaf pushed the kit to the queen, where it latched on and began to suckle.

"Blackkit," whispered Leopardspots. The next one, a she-kit, a copy of her father except for brown tabby stripes, came and Leopardspots said, "Tigerkit."

Another she-kit, a copy of her mother, slid out and Leopardspots named her Spottedkit. The last kit was a bright ginger tom with a reddish tail, and he was named Firekit.

Flamepool came rushing in. "What are their names?"

"Blackkit, Tigerkit, Spottedkit and Firekit," Leopardspots murmured, tapping each kit lightly with her tail in turn.

Sandkit was fascinated. Doing medicine cat chores like this sounded fun! Maybe she should become a medicine cat.

Leopardspots had to swallow more icky leaves, then the medicine cats left and she got to sleep. Sandkit looked around for her friends, and there they were. Awake and staring at her.

"Hey, guys. Wanna go out and play?" she wondered aloud.

"You bet! Come on, Snowkit, let's go!" Swallowkit exclaimed.

Sandkit raced off to the apprentices' den and Snowkit and Swallowkit raced after her.

When they got to the apprentices' den, Rosepaw was sleeping inside!

"Huh? Whuzzat? Who's there?" she meowed, a muffled sound because she was actually half-asleep.

"Just us!" Sandkit answered cheerfully. "We're playing in the space above the apprentice den!"

"Oh.... yeah, okay," Rosepaw answered sleepily, and soon began snoring softly again.

"She's no fun," Snowkit volunteered.

"All she wants to do is sleep all day!" Swallowkit agreed. "She snores a lot," the other kit added.

"I know," Sandkit mewed, scrunching up her face and mimicking Rosepaw: "I want to sleep! Snore-snore-snore! Waaah I'm tired Mommy! I'm really tired! Oh, Whitewind, can I practice napping? Snore-"

"That's enough, Sandkit." Sandkit's head snapped up. Oops…. Sedgewood was walking by! He continued by saying, "You really shouldn't tease older cats like that."

Redstar walked up behind Sedgewood. "I agree," he rumbled. "Sandkit, you can do some real work for a change…."

Sandkit stared at him in confusion.

"You can care for the elders. You can see to their needs, bring them fresh-kill, and check their pelts for ticks."


	10. Chapter 7

**This one's sort of short, too. But I like it! KIT BRAVERY EXCEEDS ALL!!!! :D No, seriously, it does. And.... are medicine cats SUPPOSED to clean out the elders' den?! _I_**** don't think so, although I THINK that I may have gotten mixed up in my judgement.... |:o **

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Chapter 7

_Sandkit_

"But – what?!" she screeched. "I'm not doing that!"

Swallowkit and Snowkit were watching her with wide, scared eyes. Then Snowkit stepped forward. Her pelt was bristling but she began to speak.

"It's my fault, Redstar, Sedgewood," she mewed steadily, having drawn herself up to her full height. "I had the idea."

"Oh?" Redstar's voice was cold and his eyes set a challenge as he stared down at the white kit.

"It's true, Redstar," Swallowkit piped up. She had come to stand beside Snowkit. "I took part in it."

"Then you may all tend to the elders," Redstar growled. "You can start now."

He stalked away again, with Sedgewood at his side.

"You heard him," Sandkit said wearily. "Let's start."

"Okay," Swallowkit and Snowkit sighed together. "Let's get going," Snowkit added.

The three kits bounded towards the medicine cats' den, Sandkit in the lead.

"Amberleaf!" she cried, skidding to a stop.

"Woah!" the light brown tabby mewed, coming out of her den; she barely managed to not crash into Sandkit.

"I'm sorry," Sandkit mewed. "Anyways…. we three got stuck cleaning the elders' den. Um…. I mean _care_ for the elders in basically EVERY WAY POSSIBLE! But we need moss; can you show us where to get some?"

"Sure!" Amberleaf agreed warmly. "Come with me."

She led the three kits out of the camp in the ravine and to a large tree.

"This is a prime moss-collecting place," explained Amberleaf. "Just claw the moss from the roots of the tree and collect it into a big ball. Then, take it back to camp, clear out the old bedding and put it at the side of the dirt place with the other dirty moss, and put the new bedding in. Oh, and then take them fresh-kill. But you don't have to search their pelts for ticks; Rosepaw did that yesterday; Whitewind watched her herself so that she wouldn't fall asleep on the job."

Just then, Windtail came up to them.

"Hi, kits!" she greeted Sandkit, Swallowkit and Snowkit. "What are you doing at the moss-tree?"

"Redstar got them to clean the elders' den," Amberleaf volunteered.

"That's right!" Snowkit piped up. "He said it was because we 'insulted an older cat'. The older cat was Rosepaw-"

"And we were talking about how she loves to sleep!" Sandkit squeaked.

"You have a point," Windtail agreed, nodding. "I always hear Whitewind telling her apprentice, 'Wake up or I'll make you clean out the elders' den!' Well, it turns out that she always has to clean the elders' den, and then when taking out the dirty moss she puts it down and finds a place to sleep so that she doesn't have to do it. Then, Whitewind always finds her sleeping in a tree a day later! Oh, my SkyClan, you wouldn't believe how angry Redstar always gets – once he practically almost had her tail off!"

"Once Windtail got in trouble with Redstar-" Amberleaf began.

"And he tried to make _me_ clean out the elders' den! Medicine cats shouldn't have to do that duty because what we do is different from that of warriors. Amberleaf practically had his tail off!" Windtail purred.

"Yes, I know," Amberleaf agreed, her eyes showing an expression of laughter. "Anyway, you three had better get started."

"Okay," Sandkit agreed slowly, her tail drooping.

"See you soon!" Swallowkit called as Amberleaf and Windtail bounded away.

"Well, it looks like we'd better get started," Sandkit sighed.

"Let's go," Swallowkit agreed. Snowkit just nodded.

Sandkit groaned as she thought of the chores she would have to face that afternoon.


	11. Chapter 8

**This chapter is.... strange.... but I like it. :) Sorrelkit has a creepy dream and she and Mousekit must interpret it? This chapter is sort of a cliff-hanger! I hope you like it! :) (I've got to write more about Runningkit and Gingerkit, anyway.... _those_**** I've sadly been neglecting. :( )**

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Chapter 8

_Mousekit_

Mousekit awoke the next day, feeling refreshed and happy.

"Hey, Sorrelkit!" she yowled at the tiny tortoiseshell she-kit. Sorrelkit was the only other kit awake at the moment.

Sorrelkit gasped, jumped up, and then looked around her, trying to pinpoint where the sound had come from. Her eyes filled with relief when she saw Mousekit.

"Mousekit!" she gasped. "I thought you were the scary cat I had seen in my dreams last night!"

"Dreams? What dreams?" Mousekit wanted to know, before anything else.

"Well—he looked a lot like you, except he was _big,_ Mousekit—no, seriously, this cat was _huge!_" Sorrelkit added, when she saw Mousekit's disbelieving look. "He was the size of a huge warrior, with amber eyes that gleamed and huge, evil claws. He told me to turn my back on the Clans, as I was going to be hunting for _him_ now. He said that all the prey in the Dark Forest ran away from him, and he decided to enlist a _kittypet_, who was soft and sweet, to help him catch all that prey.

"I yowled and tried to wake up, but he just roared at me. 'Go hunting!' he demanded. 'Now!' I don't know exactly _what_ made me obey, but I did." There was a faraway look in Sorrelkit's eyes as Mousekit gently urged, "Go on."

Sorrelkit took a deep breath and shook herself. "I couldn't catch any prey for this massive cat; it just kept running away from away! Eventually I felt implored to go back to this cat—I didn't know his name yet—and he saw me coming back with no prey.

"'No cat defies me, the great Tigerstar!' he hissed. 'And I see that you have caught no prey for me! Therefore, I will make you hurt!' He pushed me down onto my back in front so that I was lying belly-side-up. For some reason, vines curled around my paws and I couldn't move. Tigerstar looked more satisfied than ever." She paused for a moment before she went on. "And…." She gulped. "He raised his long, unsheathed claws above me, and prepared to strike. But then—a kind-looking tortoiseshell she-cat ran into the woods. Her fur bushed out with alarm and her eyes widened as she saw us.

"'Sorrelkit!' she gasped. I yowled at her happily. I just _knew_ that she was a good cat. But then, Tigerstar stepped in. 'Spottedleaf!' he growled. 'What are _you_ doing here?' Spottedleaf just blinked. 'I come with the permission of SkyClan _and_ StarClan, Tigerstar,' she said in a low, dangerous voice. But she blinked warmly at me. 'I _demand_ that you let this kit go. _No_ cat deserves to be captured in your torturous purposes; making them bow before you in your enormous greed for power.' 'I will _not_ let this kit go,' Tigerstar hissed. Spottedleaf's eyes narrowed. 'Fine, then,' she agreed with a sly snarl. My heart sank, but I was _very_ happy with her next words.

"'It seems that I will have to resort to some of my many spiritual powers to set Sorrelkit free,' she hissed. And in that moment, the vines uncurled from my paws and I jumped up. I hissed at this strange cat, and he was blown backwards, as if I was a strong wind pushing him over. 'Follow me, Sorrelkit!' she yowled, and I pelted after her as we came out of that terrible forest and into a nicer territory, which I recognized as SkyClan.

"'Sorrelkit, if you _ever_ have troubles with that cat again, be aware that I have given you special powers to guide you. For you, little one, are destined to be the _third_ medicine cat of RainClan! Both Echosong _and_ Jaypaw shall mentor you, and be comforted by the knowledge that you are _not_ alone….'

"Then, her voice faded, and I woke up here." Sorrelkit looked thoughtful, yet a bit scared. "Do you think that I had a _real_ dream from some sort of spiritual cats?"

"Hmm…. I'm not sure—maybe it's a sign?" Mousekit suggested. "Why don't you go tell Echosong?"

"Good idea!" Sorrelkit agreed. "Will you come with me?"

"Um, sure," agreed Mousekit. "Let's go!"

The two little kits scampered off to the medicine cats' den.


End file.
